Karen Millen refunds now paid as gift cards

ShoesAreDamnExpensive

I have just made a return to Karen Millen (I was buying a dress for an event and ordered a few options to try) and rather than receiving a bank refund (it was paid by bank) they have sent me a gift card. Apparently the default refund for all returns is now gift card and you have to change your details via their non existent "customer service" to get a bank refund back to the card you paid with. It says in my account now that all future refunds will be by gift card. I am arguing with them but the review sites are awash with people complaining about the same thing.

My return was made well within the return window and nothing was damaged. It is all online now so they have received the clothes back and are not disputing a refund is due. But just that it will only be made by gift card now.

Is this legal? This used to be a thing years ago when you didn't have a receipt but the whole return process with them is online. How can they refuse to refund back to the card paid? Its £170 so a lot of money and im unlikely to buy from them again as their quality has gone poor and the sizing is all over the place.

eskbanker

No, not legal, as long as you make it clear that you're exercising your statutory right to cancel the contract, as opposed to simply following the retailer's own returns policy:

The trader must make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as the consumer used for the initial transaction, unless the consumer has expressly agreed otherwise

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/34

visidigi

Owned by Boohoo now - so far from the premium brand they used to be.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6659846/karen-millen-refunds-now-paid-as-gift-cards

It is legal if you agreed to it, you have the right to demand a refund via the same mechanism you paid for it if you dont agree to it.

Havent ever bought anything from Boohoo or its various brands so havent seen the screen flows myself but believe there is an option in the middle of the returns process to select if you want a gift card or a refund to source with it being defaulted to the former. Amazon does similar and notes that a credit to your account is instant where as repayment to source takes up to 5 working days. I've always found it obvious with Amazon, I believe Boohoo's may be a little less in your face.

Obviously if you did get presented with the options and did click "I agree" button then it's complex to subsequently argue that you didnt bother reading what you were clicking to agree to.

ShoesAreDamnExpensive

It defaulted to gift card and i realised before I finalised the refund that it was incorrect so I didnt finalise the refund. I contacted 'customer services' which was electronic so could have been a bot and it said try again and this time it didnt ask me and at no point during the refund the second time did it mention that it was still via gift card. But they are now saying that as it was default the first time, the option to change does not appear as it bakes into your account the default of gift card. I did not agree to it. I have asked for the claim to be escalated and will also contact my credit card company.

But honestly I wont ever shop with them again.

Billybaxx23

i have had the same issue this week, £370 !! I was buying multiple try on options for occasionwear for my wedding, did not realise anything about credit card. However on the email it did state refund going back on the original payment method but still customer service have advised they won't be able to switch to cash refund now

Just wondering did you get any further with this?